Editor’s pickA geodesic wooden dome for the largest planetarium in the world

14-06-2018

In an industrial area of St, Petersburg, Russia, a large geodesic dome in a former gasholder with historical connotations marks the site of an educational and scientific centre that also doubles as a modern architectural project.

Known as “the world’s largest planetarium” at 37 metres in length and 18.5 metres in height, the dome is built of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) with steel connectors that resemble starfish, making the structure is light and resistant. Opened in November 2017 and weighing 20 tons, the dome consists of 1,500 beams and 507 steel connectors, and includes a three-dimensional projection screen 37 metres in diameter made up of hexagonal grids applied as individual structures to form a single screen.

Designed, produced, assembled, and launched in two months, the engineered wood also managed to show how much time and resources could be saved as compared to working with traditional concrete.